Outlast Episode Eight
Paisley, Simone and Viola wandered the shore like lost souls, seeming to shimmer and twist in the heat of the burning sun. To their backs, palm trees hung on grimly to the sandy rise, blocking signs of the destruction I knew was there. The smell of the smoke twisting through the air was acrid on the hot breeze, and regular crashes rang out as pieces of wood crackled in the burning camp-fire, destroyed in an instant by the shocks rippling through the ground like it was water. All of them kept their eyes fixed on my horizon, trying to realise the enormity of what happened, to convince their reluctant brain that it had happened. The earthquake had happened, it was short, but took full effect on an island of such a tiny vicinity. The camera crew and the three girls were so lost in thought it took a while for them to realise why the beach looked so strange, so abnormally large. The surf had drawn back hundreds of metres, the abandoned sand shining pale and bright. And that could only mean one thing. Chris appeared in front of the camera, scanning the horizon, desperately hoping that the collective thought between the eerily silent group was wrong. Then he saw it, the blue line on the horizon, "Tsunami," Chris breathes slowly before it's pace picks up incredibly. Paisley strained her vocals but nothing came out, still she screamed, hoping someone would hear her. Suddenly, her body wracked with raw sobs and she shook like a leaf. Fright consumed every cell in her body, swelling them with terror. With every second she practically felt the rise of her blood pressure, but she knew that this was the least of her worries. Panic soon arose as the giant wall came hurling towards the tropical island; the contestants, staff, host and crew all scrambling further in land - shrill cries and pain can be heard as the deafening crashes of the wall of water can be heard in the background. The tsunami wave that hit was nothing like the waves that lapped the shore every minute of every day. It was a wall of water, cold and powerful. It raced at the shoreline as swift and unforgiving as an axe, felling anything and everyone in its path. It had no emotion, no thought, no hesitation. It just came, granting a few seconds to enjoy breathing the ocean air before it wrapped each victim in frigid foamy fingers to the ocean floor. But we weren't ready to die. While we could still draw air there was a chance and we took it, racing, racing for the higher ground. A sense of anguish, more so than pain, had taken rule of the girls' heart, and they were extremely light-headed. Maybe the upper content of their heads was little more than a spiral of wool, which was slowly turning as it unravelled. One more revolution, and the final strand would release, to allow their mind to slip through the gap, and float slowly up and away. All three of them struggle, kicking both their arms and legs desperately in an attempt to reach the surface - the dark indigo water swirls around them, trapping and keeping them from the oxygen they need. Now they were drifting, drifting, drifting down through a bed of gently swaying strands of seaweed, to be crowned by the vertical green fronds as they wrapped around their head. As their feet touched down on the ocean floor, Paisley, Simone and Viola exhaled their final breath, which rose in a fascinating stream of bubbles back to the surface from whence it came. The camera cuts to static. Introduction The camera re-opens on a large boulevard located in Los Angeles, the camera itself portraying a large studio with the logo of 'CBS' on the side of the building. The camera moves it's way inside two blue double-doors, heading down a dark corridor before closing in on a room entitled 'Set Four'. Out of the blue, vivid artificial fauna engulf the small space on screen, before moving past it to reveal a replica of the Tribal Council area, however, instead of Chris being shown as the host, Jeff Probst is stood in his place. "Welcome back to Outlast. I'm your host for tonight, Jeff Probst. As shown previously, the island of Nevis, our filming location, suffered a devastating tsunami that left everything in ruins and for the sake of the safety of both staff and contestants we were forced to re-locate to the studio here in Los Angeles." He pauses for a moment. "Chris McLean also suffered a severe leg injury that required hospital treatment, so we wish him well tonight. Luckily for us, none of the staff members suffered any injuries that bordered critical so we can now take a deep sigh of relief." Jeff stops once again, turning his attention to the remaining three who sit on stools in front of his concrete podium. "Since we can't actually have a normal challenge today, we decided to just settle for a Tribal Council with a twist that will surely, or hopefully, guarantee a happy eliminated contestant." Jeff smiles and winks at the three girls - all of them exchanging glances of intrigue. “Welcome castaways. This is the Tribal Council zone, where tonight, one of you will leave and become the eighth person voted out of Outlast and the fourth and final member of the jury. Let me remind you that fire represents life in this game, so if your torch is snuffed, you are therefore eliminated and can never return.” Jeff guides the groups' attention towards the torches that stand behind them. He then pulls out the red decorative box from a shelf on the concrete podium, “In this repository, you will place a slip of paper with the name of the contestant you believe doesn’t deserve to be here anymore and as you know, the person with the highest amount of votes will then leave.” Jeff shows the group a sodden and broken box - retrieved from the wreckage before their evacuation. “Also, if you have a hidden immunity idol, you will have the ability to become immune at the Tribal Council, meaning the votes originally cast against you will be negated. But obviously, that won't happen since no idols were played before we came here.” Jeff informs them before picking up the repository and handing it to Paisley, “Paisley, you’re up first.” He hands her the box and watches as she walks towards the confessional shack where she places her vote. A montage of confessionals are shown in the order of; Paisley, Viola and then Simone. (CONFESSIONAL) Paisley: "This is purely strategical. I mean seriously, you've come far enough and I think your game is up, it's only fair that someone who played this game like you did should go out now. In all honesty, the fact that you've got this far is unjustified especially considering that people such as Carmen or Travis or Bradford or Esther made it further than you. Sorry but I think it's bye-bye." (CONFESSIONAL) Simone: "You're a good person in general, but in this game you're an evil b*tch! I can't stand you and I swear to God that if you don't leave and either myself or Paisley go then hell will find it's way onto this earth. Make sure everybody in your 'boat' is rowing and not drilling holes when you're not looking. Know your circle and know your place. I'm running this game, not you, Advisory is shown on screen at this point, along with a bleeping sound and censor that covers up her mouth." (CONFESSIONAL) Viola: "Even though I've been playing this game as my genuine self, I am malicious, bitter and salty all day everyday, so I don't see what's to hate when that is my personality. I know that if the jury members voted for the winner based on pure gameplay, I might win by a long shot especially if I'm against someone like Paisley. But then again, I'd love to see what they'd think if I went up against some form of competition instead of defeating my opponent in a landslide victory. I guess you can have my vote." The camera follows Viola as she returns to her stool, she takes a seat with her legs crossed, it then pans towards Jeff afterwards, "I'll go tally the votes." He says after she takes a seat and he acquires the attention of the entire group. Jeff walks off towards the confessional shack and returns with the repository in hand, “I won't waste time asking if you have a hidden immunity idol to play, since none of you do.” He looks at the girls who all respond with a nod, “Before I read out the votes, I'd like to ask you three a question.” He smiles once again, leaning himself up against the podium with his arm resting on top of the repository. Jeff pauses, watching as Viola, Paisley and Simone lean in closer towards him, awaiting a response, "How much money would it take for one of you to leave the show immediately, if it meant keeping that as well?" He asks, picking up a relatively small briefcase that holds stacks of cash in organised rows of four. "In this briefcase is ten-thousand dollars and I am willing to give one of you three women the money, if you quit the game right now." Jeff says, looking as Paisley and Viola's expressions drop to shock - Simone however is more focused on her appearance, staring intently at her handheld mirror, re-applying her make up. "It seems that both Viola and Paisley are interested. Simone, how about yourself, would you be willing to take the money?" Jeff says, closing the briefcase and turning towards the girl who sits pre-occupied - both Viola and Paisley snap out of their trance, the two of them somewhat transfixed on the case of money. "I'm sorry Jeff but after thirty-one days in a harsh environment, ten-thousand dollars just won't cut it for me. I'm in it to win it, momma's got bills and only the million dollars can cover it." Simone replies, wagging her finger at him as she replies - shown clearly offended by him interrupting her. "I think I'll stay in the game too, I'd rather risk it for a higher sum than something petty like ten-thousand. I mean, after what we've endured, I think it's way worth more." Paisley says, looking across at Simone who exchanges a smirk. "Well if you're not having it then I quit b*tches!" Viola screams, jumping to her feet in a short boost of adrenaline - a smile of accomplishment graces her lips. She is shown taking the briefcase from Jeff, who complies and lets her take it. "It's been fun, but I know that you two were going to blindside me nonetheless so thank heaven that this offer was made." Viola takes a tight grip on the case, wrapping her arms around it in a loving embrace. "Before you go though, I'd just like to reveal the votes to see if your prediction was correct." Jeff says, ushering Viola towards a stool as he points her the way, when she sits he begins, "I'll read the votes..." He pauses as he lifts the lid off of the repository, taking out a slip of paper and announcing the vote, "First vote... Simone." "Second vote... Viola." She smiles, looking over towards Simone who sarcastically returns the grin. "Third and final vote..." Jeff stops, looking at both Simone and Viola who stare at one another, both of them somewhat angry. "The eighth person voted out and the fourth and final member of the jury... Viola." He says, as she stands up in a very self-centred manor, Viola flips-off the two girls goodbye and walks off out of the studio set. After the memorable elimination, the camera returns it's attention towards Jeff who responds with a jubilant smile. "As for you two, the finalists of Outlast!" He stops for a moment as screams of excitement rise from the two girls who congratulate one another via a hug, "Since we couldn't receive some of your personal possession such as clothing items, we sent a request to your families to pack your bags in preparation for the finale." Jeff stops as an intern wheels out two suitcases one with a name tag that reads 'Simone' and the other that reads 'Paisley'. "The producers decided to have the finale at Ponderosa, since it's a beautiful tropical getaway and we sort of abandoned the other contestants whilst being occupied by the whole tsunami problem. So whilst we go to retrieve them and bring them back home safe and sound, it'd be best for the viewers and for you to enjoy the final moment somewhere of class. Where is that you may ask? Sian Ka'an, Tulum, Quintana Roo in Mexico!" Jeff announces as the screams re-appear once again. "I suggest we get going, the plane set for the city leaves in two hours." He says as the two girls jump to their feet, grab their luggage and run out of the fire exit towards a Hyundai Tucson that is parked just outside, ready to take them to the airport. The car is shown driving down the street before turning a corner, out of sight - the camera switches back to the host who simply says 'We'll be right back!' before it cuts to commercials. The camera slowly re-opens after a three minute interval. As time elapses endlessly Jeff sit here amongst the saline ocean shore retrospectively reflecting on the show. The water is scorching hot as it crashes violently against the rough, golden sand, obliterating all to be seen. The amber lukewarm sun glistens elegantly in the pale blue sky as clouds cascade to and fro. A white blanket of froth forms as the tide gradually approaches the shore. The camera follows him as he walks up the beach, towards a beautiful and modern house on the shore - Jeff opens the sliding doors and steps inside. The house was a series of rectangles constructed of steel and glass. It was unapologetically modern. It stood amidst the manicures lawn as if beamed there rather than constructed. The roof was flat and there was no visible chimney. The front door was metallic and opened with both a key pad and biometric scanner. Inside was minimalist. The walls were fashionable shades of white and the floor polished concrete. There was no sentimentality for chintz but on the walls were the most astonishing black and white family photographs. There was no clutter of shoes or jackets, no clutter of any kind. The only organic matter in sight were white orchids on the dark cherry coffee table. The kitchen was large enough for an army of chefs, there were two ovens and acres of brown flecked white granite on which to prepare food. But in the cupboards there were no pots or pans, no spatulas or sieves. Upstairs every room was en-suite with a plasma screen, a king sized bed and a walk in wardrobe. The camera stopped on the balcony that looked out to sea, in every direction was the deep shade of blue that glistened with every shimmer of sunlight that projects itself off of the splashing waves. "Idyllic isn't it?" Jeff says, walking up past the camera so that he can lean up against the railing. He stares out at the vast ocean for a moment, turning his attention back to the camera, "Welcome to Ponderosa! The place where the once eliminated contestants, come to indulge themselves in a wealthy and luxurious lifestyle for the remaining portion of the game. Even if they didn't win, I'm sure they weren't disappointed when they arrived to this paradise." He pauses, allowing the camera to zoom out and show the entire tropical resort in all it's glory. A montage of various clips is shown on screen, showing the various perks the resort has to offer the customers. All of the contestants are also shown in spots scattered across the resort itself in a variety of locations such as the pool, restaurant and upper-class en suite bedrooms. It suddenly stops at a small mausoleum located just outside of the hotel, here, the contestants, host and an audience of a mixture of both fans and family members of the contestants, huddle together. "Welcome everyone, to the finale of Outlast!" Jeff announces as cheers, applause and screams come from both the audience and contestants. "For the moment I'd just like to congratulate our finalists; Simone and Paisley!" He says as an uproar arises once again. Simone and Paisley are both shown looking very elegant and different in comparison to their rugged looks on the show over the course of thirty-one days. Simone is clad in a hot pink skin-tight cocktail dress with matching flat shoes and Paisley is shown in a gold peplum dress with black stilettos. "As you all know, the jury will vote for who they'd like to see win the first season of Outlast... But first, I would like to let the jury take control of the game as of now and ask the finalists questions in order for a decision to be determined... However, since the jury is an even number, the producers have decided to combine one vote from the pre-jurers which means that Rupert, Isaac, Matthew and Carmen will be able to vote for a winner, but it would on count as one vote. For example, if three of them vote one of you, that would count as their entire conjoined vote, okay? Bradford, Esther, Travis and Viola are all allocated an individual vote. First up, to let the pre-jurers have their say we have Isaac asking the questions." Jeff says before standing down from the podium, allowing Isaac to take his place, the others; Carmen, Matthew and Rupert follow out in single file put stand to the right of the podium, staring at the finalists. Carmen is shown in one of her signature floral dresses, this time in the form of a maxi dress. She also wears sandals and has sunglasses resting on her head. Matthew stands in a black suit with smart and polished laced shoes whereas Rupert stands in jeans, green shirt and leather jacket. The camera then returns to Isaac who is stood in a somewhat identical outfit to the one he was playing the game in, but instead has switched his bow tie from a red colour to a burnt orange. "Evening ladies... As you both know, you had contributed to the elimination of many of the eight people with you tonight, myself included. The pre-jurers, Carmen, Rupert, Matthew and I would like to know, what is the reason why you wanted to play the game. Was there any particular reason you needed the million dollars, or is it because the show is one way to have a bit of fun, gain fifteen seconds of fame and possibly walk away with a lump sum of cash?" Isaac asks, rubbing his chin with his fingertips curiously. "Do you want to go first?" Simone asks as Paisley shakes her head in response, "Well okay. I was just going to buy myself a house on the west coast for myself and my daughter." She says, pointing to an elderly woman on the front row who holds a young baby cradled in her arms. "That's my mom with my baby girl. I was playing to game so that I could win the money to benefit her." Simone's eyes well up with tears, she quickly discards them - preventing her make-up from running. "Why didn't you explain that early on in the game?" Isaac asks, his tone becoming increasingly soothing and caring. Simone takes a moment to compose herself before commenting on the question. "Do you think I'm that stupid? I may be utterly gorgeous, but I'm not dense. I came in with a strategy, I didn't want to use a guilt trip card in order to gain a vote from my fellow players that gave me an instant pass to the finale. I played the game and it paid off, I didn't need to use the idea of having an infant child at home as a way of getting further... I played the game with the mindset that I was playing it for my baby girl and nobody else, which is why I was such a b*tch most of the time and in all honesty, that isn't my genuine self. I sort of assumed that role when I heard the camera crew saying that horrible 'characters' typically get further. Which is why I played the way I did, am I ashamed of it? No, I'm quite proud of myself and I hope that when Troian is old enough, she'll watch the season back and be proud of her mother." Simone says as tears begin to flow from her eyes, Paisley's eyes and the majority of the audience, with faint murmurs and sniffles coming from their direction. "Well I think you've won, since the reason I was playing was so I could pay for my college tuition without worrying about being in debt later in life." Paisley says, wiping away the tears with a tissue provided by one of the interns. Simone wraps her arms around her and they both hug for a moment, during this time Isaac leaves the podium and the pre-jurers take a seat on an allocated stool besides the finalists. Jeff is now shown stood and waiting to add his input. "Next up we have the jury members, with Travis asking the questions for the group." Jeff says, stepping down from the podium to allow the tanned and muscular Travis to take his spot. Esther, Bradford and Viola are shown beside him in the same formation that happened previously with the pre-jurers. The camera pans from each one, Esther is shown in a mosaic-like jumpsuit with sandals, her make-up and hair almost pristine. Bradford is shown in a smart white shirt, grey shorts and smart shoes with brogue insignia on them. It then pans to Viola who is shown wearing a cream coloured blazer with a matching pencil skirt, lilac blouse and mid heel shoes. Finally, it shoes Travis himself, he is wearing one of his signature vests that expose his bulging muscles, he also wears skinny jeans and black leather military boots. He looks at both girls intently before asking his question, "I think the question we'd all like an answer to is how does it feel to be in the final two? As well as how would you feel if you were in the position of us jury members and pre-jurers?" Travis asks, revoking his original position of leaning up against the podium to standing slouched with his arms crossed. "Well obviously it's an amazing feeling to be in the final as well as it being incredibly satisfactory. I think that if I was in the same position as one of you I would feel happy for the people who did make it far and just believe in the fact that they probably deserve it more than you, which is why they are there." Paisley says with a smile, receiving relative acclaim from the audience. The camera then quickly pans to Simone, "The fact that I've had this once in a lifetime opportunity is one thing to treasure for the rest of my life, but the fact that I've played this game and actually got to a point where it's unheard of for someone like me or someone like Paisley is a necessity nowadays. You don't need to have the game-players winning something over and over again, rather the ones that make these shows entertaining for the viewers to watch which is why we've made it so far. We play the game, but at the same time we do it better." She pauses, "As for the second part of the question, it's difficult for me to answer since I'm not in that position so I wouldn't know..." She flips her hair so that it falls down her spine instead of over her shoulder. Travis is shown deviously smiling, before thanking them and climbing down from the podium - taking his seat on an empty stool, Viola, Esther and Bradford do the same. Jeff steps up onto the podium one final time, "I will now take a moment to allow the jury members to come to a final decision, before directing them to the confessional shack provided where they will vote one final time, this time however, for who they want to win Outlast." Jeff says allowing a low humming instrumental piece of music to play in the background, the lighting from the torches that align the room to dim, making the moment more atmospheric. The camera switches between Carmen, Rupert, Matthew and Isaac who all chat in hushed whispers, determining who they'd vote for, it then switches to Viola, Esther, Bradford and then Travis who all individual decide among themselves. Jeff then pulls out a new and improved red decorative box from a shelf on the concrete podium, “In this repository, you will place a slip of paper with the name of the contestant you believe deserves to win the million dollar cash prize.” He would have a face of angel if his lips would ever break farther apart. The edge is pushed up, scrunching his one eye up, making the brown appear black. His lips parted a centimetre, making it seductive to many. Yet the faked smile on his pristine face made him appear all too arrogant, assuming the role of Chris, which Jeff is not. “Matthew, you can cast the vote for the pre-jurers and you’re up first.” Jeff hands him the box and watches as he, Carmen, Rupert and Isaac walk down the aisle in between two rows of audiences, one side for fans and the other for family members, the camera continues to follow their movements all the way until he disappears through the doorway and into the confessional shack. A montage of confessionals are shown in the order of; Matthew/Carmen/Isaac/Rupert, Viola, Esther, Travis and then Bradford. (CONFESSIONAL) Matthew/Carmen/Isaac/Rupert ''speaking:'' "Even though I only played the game for a minimal five days and played it relatively one sided, I only really saw the gameplay of Paisley. But then again she was nothing special when I was working with her. After arriving here though, I continued to watch everyone else blossom as the game grew a lot more intense. Simone played an amazing game on the opposition and had some pretty entertaining moments. Paisley also had a very cute dynamic with fellow tribe member Carmen, which garnered her a fanbase outside of the show due to them both being extremely kind-hearted and down-to-earth. But, based on how they handled every moment during the show and how they got to where they are now, I'm giving my final vote to..." (CONFESSIONAL) Viola: "I had my mind set straight away for who I was giving my vote to when I walked through the entrance to the mausoleum, but after that emotional moment between Simone revealing why she really played the way she did and how Paisley had a petty excuse for wanting the million dollars, I've completely changed my mind. Even though I actually hate you with a sincere passion within the game, I do hope that what you say is true, that you are indeed a completely different person in real life in comparison to how you presented yourself in game. This is vote is for you nonetheless." (CONFESSIONAL) Esther: "I don't care if you're f*cking homeless. What you did during the game was atrocious behaviour! The fact that you ridiculed and humiliated cast members, made them feel like trash and then expect to garner the pity vote at the most crucial part of the game now is sickening? Did you really have to go to so much effort in sending your mother to an orphanage to adopt the child for the day? Disgust, disgust is all I feel. Also with the tears, you're a good actress and had the majority fooled, so I'll give you props for effort. You're scum, hopefully after this you'll retreat to your dirty hovel and never see the light of day again... Was that too harsh? I'm sorry, but, I need to tell them exactly how I feel. Truth hurts boo." (CONFESSIONAL) Travis: "I mean I would vote for you, since you clearly deserve it over your opposition. But clearly, you're an unpleasant and genuinely crude person, especially towards your tribe members and the cast in general. After the unintentional pity performance you portrayed earlier, I'm sure it was enough to swing the majority to vote in your preference. As for myself and Esther, we know your true self and understand what it's like to be subjected to the treatment you inflict onto others. I still never got the chance to get to know Paisley, but Simone, she's a lot more deserving than you, even if she was under the radar instead of a loud-mouth attention seeker." (CONFESSIONAL) Bradford: "Paisley, you were once a sweetheart and very good company during the pre-jury phase of the game, but when we passed that and I felt type-cast on the tribe when I was the only male left and you and Carmen had a very female orientated alliance, I had to play the game in order to secure my place in the game. I could've got rid of you instead of Carmen, but I let you stay in the game and now look, you've beaten almost everyone, with a major helping hand from myself. The form of gratitude in return? A blindside? Now that's unjustified on my behalf, so even though you have played a decent game, you wasn't the best - especially considering you're in the final with someone who has won four challenges in comparison to your two, I think it's clear who's more deserving. Not to mention the fact that her reason for playing is a lot more legitimate and worthwhile than college fund. Good luck tonight for you both, but in all fairness, I believe there's no competition." The camera follows Bradford out of the confessional shack and back to the empty stool where he originated. When he takes his seat, Jeff is then shown on-screen, "I'll go tally the votes for the final time this season." He says after Bradford takes a seat and he acquires the attention of the entire group. Jeff walks off down the aisle towards the confessional shack located at the back of the mausoleum behind the large crowd and returns with the repository in hand. He watches Simone and Paisley who now hold one another's hands, both of them simultaneously shaking uncontrollably, “Before I read out the votes, I would like to congratulate you both and announce something you'd both love to hear.” He smiles happily, before signalling in two interns who carry separate cases. "The ratings for this years season sky-rocketed, higher than any other competition reality-tv show ever. CBS received increasingly large sums of money as profit, so the producers attempted to barter with the company's president to allow one final twist on the show. They agreed to it so now, as stated before, the winner tonight will walk away with one million dollars. But as a special twist, the runner-up will also receive a cash prize, this time of... Two-hundred and fifty thousand dollars!" Jeff announces as the two girls scream in unison with the audience, the shakiness in the girls still evident. "Alright, well there is no such thing as an easy season of Survivor, in this case Outlast, there is no easy path to the end of it all, so what these two women have done to get to the position they're at now, they deserve it. But now it is the moment of truth, who did the jury decide is most deserving of the title of 'Sole Survivor' and the million dollars that goes along with it?" Jeff pauses for a moment, allowing answers to the rhetorical weapons linger in the thick air of smoke from the torches that surround the enclosed mausoleum. "Here are the votes to win..." He pauses once again for tension building purposes only, "First vote... Paisley." Cheers and shouts from the audience is heard as an elated expression crosses her face when the camera switches to a view of her face. "Second vote... Simone." She smiles, her eyes shut tight, with one hand grabbing onto Paisley's and the other hand with her fingers crossed for luck. "Third vote... Simone. That's two for Simone and one for Paisley. Two votes remain." An uproar from the audience and some of the jury members is heard, almost drowning out what Jeff said past announcing the third vote. "Fourth vote... Paisley. It's a tie, two votes for Simone, two votes for Paisley, with one vote left. The deciding vote, both of you inches away from the million dollar cheque." The tension causing intense and deafening screams from the crowd, mixture of both anger and excitement. "Fifth and final vote..." Jeff pauses for an endless amount of time, the silence too much to bear for some, the camera pans around the room from random people in the audience that stand with their hands in a praying gesture, to some even crying or hugging the person stood besides them. The jury members are all somewhat lent inwards towards Jeff, watching as he takes the final piece of paper from the repository, placing the lid back on top of it before putting it back on it's shelf. He then opens the slip of paper, exchanging long stares between himself and Simone and then himself and Paisley. "The Sole Survivor of Outlast... Simone!" Jeff shouts above the ecstatic uproar from the crowd. The announcement boomed over the crowd, strident timbre of the voice, cacophony of applause and cheering, whooping, hollering, clapping, stamping of feet, palpable excitement buzzed through the charged air, infectious grins, strangers shaking hands, patting one another on the back, spontaneous outpouring of emotion. Simone and Paisley jump to their feet, both of them still holding hands but now hugging one another. The jury are all on their feet now, hugging the winner and respective runner-up. Simone runs towards her mother who is also crying tears of joy, she embraces her in a hug and then takes her daughter in her arms and plants a soft kiss on her forehead. She then returns to the stage set at the front of the room, standing beside Jeff, "Here you go." He says, handing her the case that holds the million dollars. Simone takes it in one hand, holding onto Troian with the other. She then throws it up in the air as a sign of victory before being swarmed by her fellow contestants who congratulate her individually. The camera then pans to Jeff, who now guides the camera out of the mausoleum down onto the beach where he takes a steady stroll down the coastline, "That's it for this season of Outlast! I'm sure, as Chris would say, it was riddled with the 'usual drama, façades and subterfuge ensued'. We're still unsure if we'll be returning for a second season, but between then and now, we hope you enjoyed the season and the winner, Simone!" Jeff says, stopping suddenly. The camera still moves down the coast, continuing for a moment. It then looks up towards the sky before showing a swift transition to Simone with Troian on the beach as nightfalls, as she playfully nurtures the child with various toys the sound of her voice is heard over the footage, "The day is being swallowed by the night; slowly eaten and digested slower still. The night's mauve spittle is staining the marigold and medallion of the day, lines of aegan blue teeth ripping at the seams of light. The night is a dark tiger, savouring its tasteful prey of the sun. The land beneath the night is deserted, for with the tiger's arrival comes threat. Long gone is the time when humans watched as darkness devoured the light. But one stays. A small figure, unnoticeable. She sits against the tired charcoal-shaded mausoleum, the beach stretching out underneath her and from under the building she's leant against. She stares down at her beautiful child, a rare sight to behold. She then looks to her right, the case that holds a million dollars makes grin with glee..." Simone's voice pauses before jokingly says, "That's how a victory speech should go b*tches, I just f*cking won a million dollars! See y'all later." The sound of a microphone smashing on the ground is heard, the camera shows more footage of her before finally zooming out on last time. The screen then cuts to static.